The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-02-26
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.

Gently interviewed by a New York
Tribune representative.
Mr.. Clark, who is quaint of ex>
preston, with a twang 10 his voice
chat tells of his southern origin, re-
sponded: "lf congress will pass one
or two mere measures like the Inter-
State Commerce bill the axle question
will settle itself. There will not be
enough axles left in operation to be
worth any attention"
"What are the railroads going to
do about the Inter. State Commerce
billY" asked the reporter.
II can emily tell you," said Mr..
Clark, "what l think they ought to
do. There ought to be an immediate
call for a national convention of rail,
road men. Every railroad in the
country ought to be represented.
They ought to come together and
agree to a rigid line of operation un'
der this bill, Obeying it strictly in
every respect. Then they ought to
put up the rates of through freight
100 per cent and stick to them"
"What would be the effect of that ?"
ut would probably create the big
gest panic this country has ever seen;
but that is just what l think the
country needs when it permits its leg
lslators to pass measure like this In>
ter.State Commerce bill. The put
ting up of the rates, as | have Sugges-
ted would shut off every bit of pro-
1uce west of the Alleghanies from ac-
cess to the seiboard. Of course, the
stockholders of the railroads would
suffer, but they ought to suffer in or.
der to see these things as they are.
The shutters would go up on New
York banks and one hour of twenty
four would be sufficient for the trans
action of their entire business. 1t
would not be long before they would
be clamoring to Congress for some re-
lief, nor before there would be no men
in either branch of Congress that
would dare to refuse to vote for the
repeal of this bill. The fact IS that
there was never any more preposter.
Gus notion than that FIVE men will be
competent to regulate the commerce
of this country, when 100000 men
have been trying to regulate it for
years. These 100000 men com,
prise bankers, merchants, brokers,
railroad men, farmers and shippers OF
all kinds. They are men v no know
more about the shipping business,
about the transportation business and
about the railroad business than the
best equipped man in Congress. was
over in Washington while ago and
sat in the gallery looking down on
these representatives Of the people.
| declare to you that believe l conld
bring togather 400 track hands who
possess more intelligence than the
American Congress. l never KNEW
such piece Of absurdity as that these
fellows should be understood as to he
able to solve the transportation prob
lem. If had horse that needed
shOeing, | would not take him to the
doctor or the dentist. On the other
hand, if had sick wife, | would moi
send for the blacksmith to give her a
prescription. | would think | had a
desperate task before me if l were
called upon to fill DR.. Halls pulpit
tomorrow morning, but l could dc
that easier than DR.. Hall could make
tariff for a railroad. | shall have
been forty years in the railroad bust
ness on the first of March next. Ii
that time | have made and helped tC
make over 1000 tariffs and never saw
one that did not require changing
within an hour after it went into prac
tical operation. The greatest railroad
war we ever had in this country
which lasted over two years and near
ly ruined every trunk line in thi
country, was started by the Board o
Transportation of New York, whicl
made the proposition at the instanc
of Vanderbilt that the through rate
to all seabOard points shout be equal
This was a discrimination in favor o
New York as against Philadelphia
and Baltimore, which Garrett ant
Roberts fought to bitter end. Their
must he differential rates on accoun
of difference in distance and othe
conditions. think if the railroad
would come together and take prope
action under this bill the country wi
soon wish for its repeal